Senin, 27 Desember 2010

Presented by Kia Motors 2010 WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year

DeWanna Bonner Named 2010 WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year Presented by Kia Motors

NEW YORK, Aug. 26, 2010 – Phoenix Mercury guard-forward DeWanna Bonner has been named the 2010 WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year presented by Kia Motors, the league announced today. Bonner received 16 votes from a national panel of 39 sportswriters and broadcasters to earn the award. New York Liberty forward-center Plenette Pierson finished second, garnering nine votes. Connecticut center Sandrine Gruda, Chicago Sky guard Epiphanny Prince, and Seattle Storm forward Svetlana Abrosimova finished tied for third, with three votes apiece.

In honor of being named the Sixth Woman of the Year presented by Kia Motors, Bonner will receive $5,000 and a specially-designed trophy from Tiffany & Co.

An integral part to the Mercury’s WNBA championship season last year, Bonner’s second year was equally impressive as she improved in each of the major statistical categories. She ended the season with a +14.56 efficiency rating.

In 32 games this season, including 28 off the bench, Bonner averaged 12 points, good for fourth place on the Mercury behind WNBA top-scorer Diana Taurasi and starters Penny Taylor and Candice Dupree. Her three-point shooting percentage more than doubled to .358 and her assists per game increased threefold to 1.3 apg.

As a rookie in 2009, Bonner’s 196 total rebounds were the most ever for a Mercury reserve, topping the previous mark of 147 set by Kelly Schumacher in 2007. This year, she matched her previous record, grabbing 67 offense rebounds and 129 defensive rebounds. She finished the season second on the team for rebounding, averaging 6.1 rpg.

Bonner started her first WNBA game this season, on June 29 against the Atlanta Dream, recording 17 points, nine rebounds and five assists. In three other starts, she averaged 12.3 points and over 8 rebounds.

A standout at Auburn, Bonner was drafted fifth overall by the Mercury in the 2009 WNBA Draft. As a senior, she was named the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year and led the SEC in scoring, becoming the first Auburn player to do so. Bonner was a three-time All-SEC First Team member during her four-year stint as a Tiger.

This marks the second season that Kia Motors, an official WNBA marketing partner, has presented four of the league’s most illustrious season-ending awards – the WNBA’s Most Valuable Player, Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player of the Year, and Sixth Woman of the Year – grouped under the banner of “The WNBA Performance Awards presented by Kia Motors.”